Starter for foot-power machines.



u 679,!90. Patentd July 23, I90l. a. sms.

STARTER FOR FOOT POWER MACHlNES.

' (Application filed Apr. 5, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Whnbsses mmzis PEILRS co. PHOTO-LITHO., WASHINGTON. h L

UNITED STATES GEORGE SIMS, OF LITTLE METIS, CANADA.

STARTER FOR FOOT- POWER MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 679,190, dated July 23,1901.

Application filed April 5, 1901. Serial No. 54,431. (No model.) i

To all whom it may chncern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SIMS, a subject of His Majesty the King ofGreat Britain, residing at Little Metis, county of Rimouski, Province ofQuebec, Oanada,-have invented certain new and useful Improvements inStarters for Foot-Power Machines; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same.

My invention relates to a starter for footpower machines-such assewing-machines, scroll-saws, lathes, and all other kindred machinerywherein the motive parts are likely to become dead-centered, and therebymake the operator encounter difficulty in starting the machinein motion.Such machines often require the operator to use the hand in throwing thefly-wheel part way around and off the center; but this use of the handin some kinds of 1nachines,such as sewing-machines, is quiteobjectionable, because the work frequently requires the use of bothhands in guiding it to the stitcl1-forming mechanism. Hence the work issubject to disarrangement if one of the hands is removed for startingthe machine.

The primary object of this invention is the provision of a startingdevice operable by the operators foot and actively related to an elementof the foot-power mechanism for quickly and easily throwing the same offthe center, and thereby give the initial movement thereto, thus settingthe machine in motion without the use of the hands.

A further object is the provision of a starting mechanism which mayeasily be applied to any standard foot-power machines now in use orwhich may be built as a part of such machine at the time of itsmanufacture, and, furthermore, to simplify the construction and topromote the efficiency of operation.

With these ends in View the invention consists in the novel constructionand arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described andclaimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a front View of a sewing-machine equipped with my startermechanism. Fig. 2 is avertical transverse section in the plane of thedotted line 2 2 on Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of parts of theimproved starter mechanism. Fig. 4. is a perspective view representing apart of the arcuate guide and of the slidable pawl. Fig. 5 is a detailperspective view of said pawl, and Fig. 6 is a similar view of thestarter-treadle.

The same numerals of reference denote like parts in each. of the severalfigures of the drawings.

In order that others may understand the application of myimprovement, Ihave shown the same by Figs. 1 and 2 applied to a sewing-machine, inwhich the numeral 5 designatos the machine-frame, 6 is the treadleshaft,7 is the ordinary treadle, 8 is the crankshaft adapted to carry thebelt-wheel 9, and '10 is the pitman between the treadle-shaft and thecrank-shaft. It is not considered necessary to more fully describe theseparts, which are intended to serve merely as an illustration of onestyle of foot-operated machine, and it is to be understood that myimproved starter mechanism may be used in connection with any other kindof foot-operated machinery.

One element of my improved mechanism is a ratchet-wheel 11, the sameadapted to be fastened to the belt-wheel 9 in any suitable way andarranged to occupy a concentric position with the rim of thebalance-Wheel and with the shaft 8. This ratchet-wheel may be fastenedlaterally to the spokes of the beltwheel by bolts or other suitablefasteners; but it is necessary that the ratchet shall be fastened inplace so as to expose its toothed peripheral edge for engagement by aslidable pawl 12, the latter adapted to move in an arcuate pathconcentric with the ratchet. This is attained by loosely mounting saidpawl 12 on an arcuate guide 13, the latter having its end portions bentinwardly, as at 14, and formed with the lugs 15, which are adapted to besecured in. any suitable Way to the bracket-plates 16. Thesebracket-plates may be fastened to one side of the framework 5, and thearcuate guide is adjusted and fastened to these bracket-plates so as tomake the curved portion thereof concentric with the edge of the annularratchet, which is revoluble with the belt-wheel.

The slidable pawl 12 is of the peculiar construction represented moreparticularly by Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the same being made in the form of aclasp arranged to loosely embrace the arcuate guide 13. Saidclasp-shaped pawl has a short longitudinal slot 17, in which is receivedone edge of the 'arcuate guide, and at one end this pawl is formed witha loop 18, that is adapted to fit or embrace the other edge of thearcuate guide, as shown more clearly by Fig. 4. By the formation of thisloop and the slot the pawl is made to loosely embrace the guide so as tohave a sliding and a rocking motion thereon, but said pawl is preventedfrom having any lateral oscillation. Atits rear end the pawl is providedwith an offstanding feed-lip 19, the same projecting laterally from thepawl and arranged to engage with one of theteeth in the annularratchet.The front portion of the pawl on the outer loop 18 has a lug 20, towhich is connected one end of a coiled spring 21, having engagement at22 with the bent portion 14 of the arcuate guide, whereby the pawl isnormally drawn in an upward direction and until it is arrested by meansof a stud forming the stop 23. This springs tends to pull the pawl in adirection which moves the feed-lip 19 to take a fresh hold on theratchet; but the reverse movement of the pawl is eifected by the pitman24. This pitman is bent or curved, as shown by Fig. 2, and its lowerportion is extended for connection with the starter-treadle 25. As shownby the drawings, this treadle is loosely mounted on the treadle-shaft 7of the foot-power machine so as to occupya position alongside of thefoot-power treadle 7, and the starter-treadle is considerably smaller insize than said treadle 7 The detailed construction of thisstarter-treadle and the manner of mounting the same in the machine isnot material.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,it will be understood that the operator may place the foot on thestarter-treadle 25, and thereby pull downwardly on the pitman 24, whichdepresses the feed-lip 19 ofthe pawl into engage ment with the ratchet,whereby the ratchet and the belt-wheel are given a partial turn. Thepressure on the starter-treadle being relaxed, the spring 21 pulls thepawl in an upward direction, and thereby moves the feedlip to take a newhold on the ratchet, after which the foot-pressure is reapplied to thestarter-treadle and the operation of turning the ratchet and thebelt-wheel is continued.

This operation may take place one or any number of times in order tomove the beltwheel from its dead-centered position, and thereby give theinitial impulse to a member of the foot-power mechanism, so as to startthe same into service.

I have shown my improved style of mechanism as equipped with a secondcoiled spring 26, the same being connected to the opposite portion ofthe slidable pawl and adapted to pull the feed-lip 19 away from theannular ratchet, as shown by Fig. 3. This spring is attached to anoutstanding arm 27, which may be fastened to the framework of thesewing-machine, and the energy of said spring is overcome when thepitman 24 is pulled downward in order to quickly throw the pawl inwardand make its feed-lip 19 engage with the ratchet. This second spring 26,however, maybe dispensed with, but of course the spring 21 must beretained to lift the pawl to its working position.

Changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the formand proportion of some of the parts while their essen tial features areretained and the spirit of the invention is embodied. Hence I do notdesire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown,reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. Incombination with a foot-power mechanism, an annular ratchet revolublewith an element of said foot-power mechanism, a fixed arcuate guidehaving a concentric disposition with reference to said annular ratchet,a pawl slidably mounted on said guide and having a member adapted toengage with said ratchet, a spring for moving said pawl to its operative position, and a treadle having link connections with said pawl,substantially as described.

2. A starter mechanism for foot-power machines comprising astarter-treadle, an arcuate guide having means for clamping the same inposition concentric with a revoluble GEO. SIMS.

Witnesses:

NAP. MICHAUD, L. NAP. MICHAUD.

IIO

